Need a little help.

I am going to set up a little 10 or 20 gallon to hold 1 clown, 1 green spotted mandarin, 1 chromis, 1 small gsp and 20 polyp zoa for temporary housing while I tear down my 75 and start my bigger tank build. I also have a few snails, hermits and one peppermint shrimp. Would it be OK to house them in there as well. My question is I am going to use some of my substrate and a few pieces of live rock from the 75 and nuke the rest. Can I get away with using my emperor 400 filter and 1 x 65w PC to keep the corals alive. Will this be enough light or should I try to rig up 2 x 65w PC. Also should I hook up my skimmer to it. It is a crappy seaclone. This will have to be housing until I can get everything ordered, hooked up and tank cycled before adding them back to a permanent housing or would I be better off finding new homes and starting all the way over.

 

it should be ok i would go with the 20 gallon. and i would hook up the skimmer, this is assuming it takes you a couple weeks. if its gonna take longer then a month then you might as well find them new homes.

 

Honestly, if your not attached to the fish or corals, then I would start all over and sell off or give away what you have. To me, that would be a big hassle for not keeping that many corals or fish that could be easily replaced. You won't know for sure how long it will take to set everything back up and cycle again. If you do decide to temporarily house them, then I would def. go with a 20 gallon just for more room with the one 65w bulb. The zoas should be fine.

 

Just do your best...if ya didn't live so far away, Id give ya a tank...try with the light ya have...then add more if required...cant hurt to skim a little, and keep the water move'n...Its gonna be a challenge, but I bet ya learn a bunch.
IMO...YOU can DO IT man !!! Rock on. can't wait to see it.
LG

 

I am very attached to my green spot. My most favorite fish I have ever owned. This is also some of my very first corals that I bought. The Hammer didn't make it and gras has brought the frogspawn back to life. I would hate to get rid of them but I don't want to kill them either. The one thing I am concerned about is how long its going to take.

 

OK well what about the small tank and just keeping the 2 corals clown and chromis as I hate to say this but think it will be impossible to keep the green spotted mandarin alive in that small of tank. Lack of pods in the small housing would be the death of her I would think. Should I keep a couple snails and hermits to help for cleaning and waste. Also another option for filtration. I have a fluval 305 canister that i could use instead of the emperor and that would take place of flow as well. Any thoughts.

 

Oh and time line. Some time in December to get the new housing up and running after getting everything ordered and cycle time of at least 12 weeks. Is this going to be to long of a stay for the guests.

 

i would take the chromis back, so i could get all blue ones in the future, but i have no attachment to him. the crab and snails keep them, they could live in a dirty bucket and have minimal bioload.

 

Those corals that you have in the tank will live with that lighting. No problem. Just don't overstock on fish. If you want to keep the mandarin, then do it. I would go to the LFS, buy a bottle of pods and dump it in. Or maybe part of it!!!!! Then it can graze. Just do a nightly check and see how many pods there are with a flashlight and dose accordingly. That is what I would try first. The rest of the pods.....keep in the fridge with the top off. Otherwise they will die.

Good luck bro.